December 27, 2007

Coach Brewster wasted no time this season. In his debut press conference he promised to take Gopher Nation to Pasadena and in his first season he is doing just that. All you nay-sayers can eat your crow now. Cause the 2007 Football NIT Championship game is being played in the Pasadena Bowl. The bowl game formerly known as the Jr. Rose Bowl will not take a back seat this year.

The game will played on New Year's Eve the day before the Rose Bowl and should be a thrill for everyone in Gopher Nation. Many of us wanted Notre Dame to be put on the schedule for 2009's home opener in the new TCF Stadium. The Irish would not comply but we get get them on the bowl schedule this year.

There is no love lost between these two teams as this rivalry dates back to 1925 when they first played one another. The rivalry quickly ended in 1938 after just 5 contests because it was just too hot to continue. Notre Dame holds a slight edge in the series as Minnesota is 0-4-1 overall. Let the rivalry continue.

I know that fans of both teams wanted to see this matchup all season. Minnesota was able to dominate teams like Miami (Ohio) and well that's about it. And Notre Dame crushed the likes of Navy and Air Force and Duke.

This will be on ESPN Classic faster than the Big Ten Network was able replay Appalachian State vs. Michigan.

I'll spare you the details but it was a close game, and both fans in attendence knew it would come down to who had the ball last. The gophers had the ball with 2:30 left down 14-21. After a long drive that took 2:25 off the clock, Minnesota scored on a 2-yard Weber run.

Tim "I'm aggressive" Brewster decided to show everyone that he made the right call in the Northwestern game and go for 2 (again) to win. Once again they had the perfect play called. Weber rolled to his right and had the enigmatic Ernie Wheelright wide open in the endzone. Weber hit Wheelright right on the numbers, but Ernie ended his career as a gopher dropping the game winning 2-point conversion.

Notre Dame is your 2007 Football NIT Champions... (queue We are the Champions music and montage)

Minnesota - 20Notre Dame - 21

As the teams met to shake hands both freshmen QBs vowed to meet again. Maybe next year in the Insight Bowl!